Modern Context
The Mayfair Theatre has been in use since it was built in 1932, bringing many people in and out of the space. Taking Orthel’s idea from “Ordinary Wallpaper: Identity and Use of History,” traces of the history of the interior intermingle with ordinary history (history of a person’s everyday life). There are some traces of past renovations done on the theatre which depict this notion. The seating is one of the elements which changed over the course of the theatre’s history, but there is still evidence of the original seating from 1932, which is discussed by CTV News (see Video 1). The theatre itself had gone through many different functions, transforming from a sound theatre to a moving picture cinema.
Ultimately though, the space has been well preserved in keeping with the style of when it was first built. This shows that a certain element of importance was placed on the theatre to preserve its heritage. According to Denslagen, “The vast majority of the local population however called for the ruins to be rebuilt […] Meticulous architectural reproduction was reserved for monuments of special historical value.” (pg. 6). When the Mayfair Theatre was in danger of being shut down, locals rallied for the building to be placed under the LACAC in hopes of saving the cultural heritage of the theatre. Denslagen notes the importance of the people’s opinions and that notion is reflected in the protection of the Mayfair Theatre. People of the modern world want to keep the Mayfair Theatre intact because it holds some sort of value in the hearts of the locals. If the Mayfair Theatre had been shut down, the space would have lost all its meaning due to the vacancy. This connects to Orthel’s idea that a space loses meaning if people do not pass through and experience it.
According to some reviews from modern cinema-goers, people love the comfortable and beautiful atmosphere of the theatre. Guests also note their love for viewing independent films which is the kind of content that the Mayfair Theatre displays. It seems that the desire for old-school entertainment has not disappeared over the years and this lends itself to the power the Mayfair Theatre has over large, modern cinemas like the Scotiabank Cineplex Theatre.
The Mayfair Theatre has also been well integrated into the urban context of society, which is an important concept articulated in Klaic’s Resetting the Stage: Public Theatre Between the Market and Democracy, specifically in Chapter 6, “A Sense of Place.” Klaic emphasizes the point that the public’s view and value of a theatre is not solely based on how the building looks or its special features but also based on how well it integrates itself into the modern context (pg. 101). The theatre is located on one of Ottawa’s busiest streets, so it has good potential for catching the eyes of city-goers. Additionally, it is also one of the larger buildings located in this particular section of Bank Street, so it stands out among its surroundings (see Figure 6). With the situation of the theatre on one of Ottawa’s busiest streets, the theatre establishes social influence and connectivity which relates to older theatres in Britain (pg. 6). Like most theatres of today, the Mayfair Theatre is situated in a highly commercialized district with shops along the street encouraging people to go out and ‘hit the town’. It is one of the great advantages of the Mayfair Theatre since so many people pass by it. The activities on this street have a strong connection to social contexts, giving meaning to the space by encouraging people to explore the imaginative worlds of shopping and cinema-going which integrates itself into a person’s everyday history.
Although the Mayfair Theatre does not conform to the modern style (which is an important notion of Klaic as well), it still manages to draw people in by being different and out-worldly. The all brick exterior and the Spanish gable at the top are key elements in showing the public that this building is not what you would expect to find in such a modern society. While most of the other buildings on the street have relatively open entrances, the Mayfair Theatre has a smaller entrance, used for controlling large crowds. This more controlled entrance once again relates to the Gentlemen’s clubs of London and might imply a certain ‘exclusivity’ for people who visit this cinema. The exclusivity is further implied by the advertisements of memberships which any visitor can purchase for a specific time period. Overall, the Mayfair Theatre is a strong competitor against modern day cinemas because of its magical atmosphere and its nod to classic Spanish Colonial Revival theatre styles. It has proven countless times over that it has relevancy in the modern age, and it will never go out of style so long as it stays true to its heritage.
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- The Mayfair Theatre Simran Sethi
